To Tie the Knot
by Aeronnen
Summary: Albus is about to marry the most perfect woman in the world. Letitia Gordon is everything he could dream for. Meanwhile, Minerva McGonagall keeps the school running as she does paperwork and punishes miscreants. She hopes that full summary inside.
1. The Way of Things

Letitia is said Let-iss-ee-uh, and Letys is her nickname and pronounced like lettuce. It's Victorian name, I thought it was appropriate, lol. I also think that the name might change, I hate the title, but I'm a little pressed for time.

Enjoy!

Summary: Albus is about to marry the most perfect woman in the world. Letitia Gordon is everything he could dream for. Meanwhile, Minerva Mcgonagall keeps the school running as she does paperwork and punishes miscreants. Letitia and Albus will be married on January the first and Minerva hopes that once they are married that school will return to normal. But will Albus tie the knot?

Prologue.

The Way of Things.

The auburn haired man finished the little note with the satisfied flourish of one glad to have finished an odious but necessary job, and whistled for his tiny scops owl to come for the letter.

"There you go, Jitter. You can go out of the west window." The little owl looked at him reproachfully, first at the stormy weather, then back at the man's face, leaning in to his long crooked nose. "It's not far, just to the village. You _know _where that is. No excuses."

The owl stuck its little beak in the air and ignored Albus, though he shivered and hopped, living up to is name. "Stand _still, _Jitter. Just go to Mr. Rosmerta, then come straight back. Then Letys will give you your treat." The owl looked marginally more cheerful, and suffered himself to be led over the west-facing wall.

"Be safe," he told the hopping bird, who hooted in reply, then took off into the storm.

Albus watched him go with amusement. Jitter had no sense of direction, and so made a nearly useless post-bird, but he was very cute, and Letys would not let him give the fluffy thing to his brother Aberforth. Albus smiled as he thought of Letys, short for Letitia who was currently washing in his bathroom. They were to be married in a couple of months, January the 1st and he couldn't think of anyone he would rather spend the rest of his life with. Of course, that was what all fools in love said.

But Letys was funny, clever, sweet, very feminine and stunningly beautiful. Her cornflower yellow hair cascaded over her face in corkscrew curls, her lovely dark blue eyes peering out from behind angled brows, and her luscious mouth was adorable. Albus believed that he had fallen in love with her moment he had saw her, haggling laughingly with Tom the barman of the Leaky Cauldron. She shone in the sun, hair glinting her laugh frequenting wherever she went. She seemed to go in for the old saying, ''laugh and the whole world laughs with you; frown and you frown alone.'' Albus loved her dearly.

He sat down at his desk, unsticking one sherbet lemon from the other, peacefully meditating on the wonder of the muggle society, until a peremptory knock sounded at the door and it opened before he could permit entrance.

"Hello Albus. Sorry to bother you, but the ministry needs your signature and stamp on these forms." Minerva said loudly, as if to brook no argument. "And they need to be in by tomorrow."

Albus sighed, yet smiled at the young woman. Here was another amazing female, but not the same as Letys, of course.

Minerva had started as Transfiguration teacher when he became headmaster. She would have become his Deputy Head as well, but the Board of Governors thought she was too young (and pretty, though they did not say it) to be working so closely with a seventy year old or so man.

Because Minerva _was _pretty. She had clear grey eyes that could pour fire, breath sorrow, drip honey and make even the bravest student, and grown men on occasion, cower. She had black hair down to her waist, which was poker straight and thick, yet in the sunlight it glinted red and gold. Very unusual combinations, but Minerva had told him that her mother had had red hair, her father black, and that her hair was a mixture of them both.

"_May what Gods there are rest their souls," _she had added on that day. They both been killed rather nastily in Grindelwalds reign, and Minerva did not follow very clearly any God. Albus thought that she liked to refer back to the Gods her family had worshipped in ancient days, the records of which were buried in the old grounds Mcgonagall Manor, hidden from the avenging Ministry of years passed.

"Yes Minerva? Which forms?" he asked, returning to the present.

She sighed and slapped them down on the table. "The ones validating the security of the Astronomy tower. Why they have suddenly took it into their head that is dangerous after it has stood there for hundreds, thousands of years even, and not a single death, I do not know," her Scottish brogue got louder as she vented her feeling on the Ministry. "Fools."

Albus hid a smile and reached for the top form. "You've filled them in," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't I supposed to do this?"

"I did them, to save you time. I used a charm to disguise my handwriting," she said. "They are such fools. Dark wizards could be filtering their paperwork and they wouldn't know."

"I agree, my dear. Thank-you for your consideration. It must have taken you some time to do them." He looked at her. She waved her hand negligently.

"I am sure you can repay me with something," she smiled. "Like the new book on the Theory of Transfiguration."

He opened his mouth to answer but she cut him off. "I didn't _mean _it, Albus. Honestly! I just like to tease you."

"Hmph. What _do _you think of it? I read an article about it last week, and the Animagi part seems a little weak." Albus enjoyed discussing Transfiguration with Minerva, she always had fresh ideas and witty things to say about them that often had him crying with mirth.

She snorted as she bustled round the office, gathering together papers and documents to be filed or completed. Albus watched her fondly. She was so efficient and helpful! Many a time he had been wading in paperwork, only to be rescued by the fearfully practical and efficient mind of the young witch.

"If he'd ever actually learned to be an animagus it would a lot more impressive," she continued. "When he has spent weeks with a tail and one paw on the left hand, then he will be able to write a proper article on it."

Albus chortled, appreciating her dry wit, and threw the form back onto it's pile. "I will bear that in mind when I get round to reading it."

She nodded. "Right. You'd better get to work on the forms, then. See you tomorrow. Oh!" Minerva was looking at the woman standing in the door of the study. Albus looked over too.

"Letys! Are you done?" he asked affectionately. She was very beautiful. Her hair was already beginning to curl back into its corkscrews and her cheeks were flushed with the water.

"I am, Alby," she cooed. "Hello Minerva."

"Hi Letitia." Minerva switched her powerful gaze onto the blonde woman before snapping back to Albus. "Albus, those forms _have _to be filled in and sent off by this evening. The ministry will not wait any longer." Minerva left, balancing her pile of paper documents on her hip again.

As the door closed on her thin form, Letitia turned to Albus. "Alby, why do you let her bother you so? You _are_ the Headmaster, after all."

"I know, Letys, but she is only helping with the running of the school," reading her expression correctly, he continued quickly. "I have no improper intentions towards her at all."

Letitia blinked at him, then yawned and placed herself on his lap. She buried her head in his shoulder and said quietly to him, "I know,Alby. I never doubted you for a minute."

He smiled into her fragrant hair and she nuzzled his neck. Albus dropped a kiss on her head and she looked back up to him to kiss him fiercely. Albus returned it just as forcefully and they became oblivious to the world.

--

Minerva Mcgonagall dropped the bundle of papers on her desk and made for the door back into the corridors. She would do them tomorrow, they weren't urgent.

She crept silently though the corridors, quiet as her animagus form. She was slightly worried about her finances. Minerva didn't have much money. Mcgonagall Manor had gone to her stately sister Athena, leaving Minerva with her small flat in London and small vault set aside for her by her parents for their strange daughter, as they had thought of her.

When she had started at Hogwarts she had become not so dependant on money. The food and board was included in the job and she was paid for her services. People always thought she had huge amounts of money, good clothes, pureblood lineage and a loving family.

In fact, she had none of those, but Minerva didn't need money to be happy. Athena didn't care for her and so what if her beloved grandmother had been a muggle? And as for clothes, what were they but rags made to increase a person's vanity and self-confidence?

They were Minerva's views on her life and she was perfectly happy as she was.True, she wasn't yet allowed to be Albus' Deputy but but she was Head of Gryffindor House and that was good enough for her.

She was Deputy Headmistress in all but name anyway. Albus relied on her heavily and she enjoyed working with him except...now that he was engaged, he was neglecting the school a tiny bit. Forms would only be sent of because Minerva did them then and had him sign them and at other times he would forget staff meetings and so on. The other Professors didn't mind. They said it was good that poor old Albus had finally found himself a suitable match. But they weren't the ones taking on the extra paperwork or dealing with impatient officials.

Minerva was young, efficient, clever and practical, yet the way she had to work so fast and to such high standards was tiring. If only they would get the wedding over and done with! Then perhaps Hogwarts would return to it's proper ways, with the Headmaster dealing with all the things Minerva was doing at the current moment.

Letitia was pretty. The kind of pretty that the world appreciated as pretty. Blonde and giggly and 'cute'. Witch Weekly was very taken with Dumbledore's new bride-to-be and she was printed in every edition. Smiling, pouting, posing and giggling with Albus.

_Albus..._

It seemed to downgrade him in a way. To be caught with her for the wizarding nation's smutty magazine. She winced when Letitia called him Alby and when hoards of people asked for his autograph and pictures of the dashing couple.

Minerva was not jealous of Letitia. The woman was twenty years older than her and _far _prettier, as Minerva knew. Minerva had no romantic prospects and did not plan on having any; if she was to die an old maid, then so be it. _Nothing _could persuade her to turn into a giggling, simpering oggling crowd like so many of the population.

Minerva washed her face in the warm water then let it drain out of the basin as she dried her face. She caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her hair was in a long plait down her back, tiny wisps escaping the loose braid. Her eyes were grey, solemn, but the fire hidden in them was only waiting for a chance to appear again. Her cheeks had a pretty flush and her nightdress was not overly revealing, but not too modest either. To most eyes, she was pretty as well.

Minerva, however, did not see that. All she saw was a bedraggled, bony young woman, not padded in the right places like someone her age should be. She saw her hair straggling down her back, her grey eyes forlorn and ugly, staring out over her face, jutting out from beneath her black brows, making her face look dirty and unnourished.

Slightly upset and suddenly self-conscious, she quickly got under the covers, glad for the warming pans the house-elves had placed there.

She didn't care for her looks, but she wished she was more sunny and bright, like Letitia. Or dark and mysterious, like Athena with her stately ways. But no, Minerva Mcgonagall was no one. She worked hard, loved her job, and looked after her little Lions. She helped Albus, dealt with the Ministry and stayed in the castle, where she hoped to stay for a very, very long time.

Albus was important, in the top workings of the Ministry, he gave advice and they hung on his words. He would get married, have brilliant children, whom she would teach, hopefully, and be happy with his beloved wife.

That was the way of things, the order of her -and his- life, and it would always be like that. It was the way of things.

--

Just a prologue, but as soon as I have the next chapter worked out a little more, it'll be up quickly.

I don't expect reviews, but if you feel like it, I'd be happy to hear from you.


	2. Albus Bumbledore

Chapter One.

Albus Bumbledore.

"Ugh." Minerva lifted her heavy load of filled in forms and hefted them into a more comfortable position. She set off to the to the owlery as fast as she could, she had her third-year Transfiguration in a quarter of an hour.

She stood beneath a row of school owls, and coaxed them down. She tied the first bundle, second,third and fourth on, and was a about to attach the fifth onto a large screech-owls leg, when she noticed the signature on the bottom of the form. Minerva stopped dead and stared at the document is dismay.

"_Fool,_" she muttered, and took the bundle off the owl's leg. It hooted indignantly at her, annoyed that she interrupted it's peaceful sleep, and flew back up to the lofty rafters of the glass room. The other four took off. Minerva hefted the forms into her arms again and made her way to the Headmaster's rooms.

--

"Alby, just do that last one and then we can go for a picnic by the lake; I asked the house-elves to pack one for us." Letitia finished sweetly.

"I'm afraid I have to, Letys darling. The ministry needs them." Albus answered regretfully.

"They're not important, are they?" she asked dismayed.

"They are very important, love." he told her.

"Oh, Alby, I'm so sorry! I didn't realise!" Letitia gasped. "Will it take you long?"

"Not long at all, darling. Then I'll take you to a special place in the grounds that no one but me has found before." Albus said.

"Ooh, that sounds wonderful! It can be our very own special place and -" she stopped as Albus kissed her soundly on the lips.

"And when we get there," he promised, "we'll spend a long time there."

She giggled and resettled herself on his lap and kissed him back fiercely. They drew a shaky breath in unison before diving back at each other.

"BANG!" Letitia and Albus jumped apart and stared in shock at the door. It had banged open and smashed onto the far wall to reveal a tall witch, her long black hair swinging out of it's normal bun and whose grey eyes flashed dangerously.

"Albus Dumbledore." Minerva fixed him with fire-breathing look. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

Albus put on his best calm teacher voice and fixed her with his own penetrating stare. "What is the matter, Professor McGonagall?"

The use of her title angered her further."You...you fool! You woolly-pated, sheep-brained hoof-footed yellow-bellied fool!" she streamed insults at him. "Don't try that on me Albus!" She deflected his Legilimens probe easily.

"Minerva, if you do not tell me what is wrong, I will have to ask you to leave my office." Albus said calmly.

She shook, hand clenched on her wand. "_You_ have signed all the Astronomy Tower forms in with – with..." Minerva handed him a form, avoiding Letitia.

Albus looked down at the forms. Everything seemed to be in order. All the right boxes were ticked, squares filled in in neat print but...Albus looked down at the signature and felt his heart sink. At the bottom of the piece of paper it said in swirly letters; ''Albus Bumbledore.''

"_In permanent ink." _Minerva said in a low shaky voice. "It will have to be _completely redone, _Albus. "

I am so, so sorry, Minerva." Albus said earnestly. "I was just not paying attention."

"That." she said, "is obvious."

Albus opened his mouth to defend himself, or placate her, but his Letitia beat him to it.

"Minerva, please refrain from behaving so obscenely in front my fiancé , who, may I remind you, is also your employer," Letitia said coldly and calmly. Minerva stood straight, looking disbelieving daggers at the blonde woman.

"Albus has been working extremely hard and we do not appreciate your input. His mistake was something anyone could make." Letitia continued. "Please do not use such language in out presence and remember that Albus is your superior."

Minerva stood, unbelieving, at Letitia. "How dare you say that?" she managed at last. "I have done _all _paperwork of this school for the last three months since you came. I have punished the troublemakers, dealt with the ministry, and basically run the school for you. However," she turned to Albus, mastering her temper, "If you do not wish to know about these things, then you need not. I think the school will last until January the 1st. Bye." Minerva gathered the stacked forms, placed them on his desk and left for the door.

Letitia and Albus were left in silence. She was triumphant, he was surprised and dismayed.

--

Minerva walked swiftly, tears glazing her face. She didn't cry often. But this was an exception. How could Albus do this to her?! She, who had nearly run the school for him!

And his horrible, horrible girlfriend. She had no right to talk to her like that, the cow.

And now she would have to sit next to them, eat with them, talk with them at meal times. Well, she wouldn't talk to him or her! See how Albus liked that!

Minerva would be brave, live up to her name, but she was not looking forward to tomorrow.

--

Short but it's all right! Thanks to HMS Frivolity and Felines and OSUsprinks for reviewing!


	3. Emerald and Onyx

Chapter Two.

Onyx and Emerald.

Why, on heaven and earth, had she chosen teaching? It could have been the Ministry or the Auror offices or Curse-breaking. But no, she had chosen the profession that meant she now had to sit with her angry boss and even angrier fiancé while trying to keep a civil tongue to keep from being fired. Well that was fine. Really. She would just have to face the music.

Minerva stood, sighing, and shoved her little grey scatter-cat Thistle off her lap. Thistle stared up at Minerva in disgust and slunk off, no doubt to terrorise the rodent population of the Forbidden Forest and surrounding area.

Minerva smoothed her robes and stepped out into the corridor. She was immediately caught up in a crowd of chattering fifth-year girls on their way to breakfast and she couldn't help over hearing.

"Olive Hornby says that she cast an Albanian Love spell on him and that he whisked her back here to marry her so that they could be together forever," a dark girl with a straight fringe said.

"Hornby doesn't know anything." her friend declared. "She's just jealous because Miss Gordon can curl her hair properly."

Minerva's heart clenched at the mention of ''Miss Gordon.'' They were talking about Letitia!

"She has a point , though," another one pointed out. "Mother went to school with her and she says that Gordon didn't have very good grades and that she would have been better off in Slytherin rather than Ravenclaw. Why would Dumbledore have such an empty-head for a wife? Why not someone cleverer?" The girl finished. She was a Ravenclaw herself, and very clever. She was much sought out by the student body for relationship advice.

"She just wants attention." said a tall Gryffindor. "But she does seem to love him, though."

"I know, I don't get it." said the dark girl again. " I think Dumbledore just sees a pretty face."

"A pretty _simpering _face," added someone else.

"She giggles a lot," said one girl, a tomboy through and through. "And she _plasters _makeup on."

"Sometimes it makes you wonder whether after all these years the Sorting Hat is finally losing it's touch..." The girls left for their respective tables and Minerva walked up to her seat next to Dumbledore. So the students didn't think much of Letitia. She would have a bit of a hard time living with Albus at Hogwarts.

"Good morning, Minerva!" a squeaky voice said from somewhere near her elbow. Filius Flitwick beamed her a smile and she returned it fully.

"Good morning to you as well Filius." she said. The Charms professor was a kindly little man and she liked him very much.

She turned to her pate and began piling bacon onto it, studiously ignoring Albus and his fiancé. As she crunched it, savouring the taste, she became aware of a high voice to her right, on the other side of Albus.

"Yes, you know, some of this food is _so _fatty! I always try to avoid eating things like _bacon _at breakfast, it can _ruin_ your figure in later life," the voice simpered. "Of course, if you don't have a figure to start with..." Letitia trailed off delicately.

Minerva started to feel that all-too-familiar rise of her temper. She leaned forward and looked past Albus. Letitia was nodding prettily, curls bouncing. She seemed to feel Minerva's furious gaze on her and turned slowly.

Letitia looked Minerva in the eyes and smiled. Most people would have thought it a kindly smile, one mother would give to her eldest daughter, but Minerva knew better and she could read the malicious glint the older woman's eyes.

Minerva bit back a cutting response and stabbed her bacon angrily, stared at it for a moment, then crunched it loudly. Letitia seemed to hear, and opened her pretty mouth again.

"I always think that women should behave _delicately," _Letitia said loudly. "You know, not drink alcohol or eat fast. I myself enjoy embroidery..."

Minerva raged inside. How did this woman seem to know everything she did? Minerva was not above a couple of bottles of firewhisky, or a huge Sunday dinner; turkey, potatoes and gravy galore.

Letitia carried on. "But there _are _women, (though they barely rate the term) who are very unladylike and -"

"Letys, please refrain from saying these things, here, please." Albus cut her off quietly enough so that only Minerva heard.

"_Albus!"_ she hissed. "How dare you!?"

Minerva couldn't resist. "Because you are such a a commanding and austere presence that no one would _ever _dream of correcting _you_."

"Minerva..." Albus said sternly.

"Yes, Headmaster?" she answered innocently.

"I do not want any cat fights here, please." he said.

Minerva snorted. Letitia sent her a predatory glance and turned back to the Matron, Poppy Pomfrey. "I think the No7 is an excellent brand of products, but Chanel has got _such _better value and you can really find perfumes that fit you..."

Poppy despairingly caught her eye and rolled her eyes. Minerva returned the look and felt sorry for her gentle but firm friend. Next to Poppy, Rolanda Hooch stared at the blond woman with disgusted amazement. Rolanda was born flyer and had no time for silly girly things; it was one of the reasons they got on so well.

Minerva decided to rescue them. It was a Saturday and they could leave at any time. "Poppy, Rolanda, are you going to come into the village with me today still?" she called along the table.

"Oh! Of course we are, Minerva." Poppy said with relief. "I'm sorry Letitia, we can continue this very interesting conversation later, I'm sure."

Rolanda also freed herself from Letitia and the three women left together,

"Interesting conversation?" Minerva asked incredulously. "Since when did you care about about brands of perfume,Pops?"

Poppy sent her a glance of mock-severity. "You know perfectly well I just said that to get away from her."

"Did you hear her?!" Rolanda said loudly and contemptuously. "'Bacon doesn't help your figure, I enjoy embroidery, lar-dee–darr– dee-darr!"

Minerva agreed, but her sense of propriety stopped her from saying anything else. She respected Albus, no matter what footings they were on at that moment. "Leave her alone, Ro. Albus must see something in her and it isn't our place to question him." she said quietly.

"Merciful Merlin, what's wrong Minerva?" asked Poppy. "Are up standing up for her?"

"No, I'm saying that he knows what he 's doing and we shouldn't question him. He is our superior, after all." she said quietly.

"Ah, you're right, Min. But what's wrong? Your tongue seemed a little blunted this morning. I expected you to scrape her raw."

Minerva smiled. "I would have, but I fear that I am dangling on very thin thread and are very near to being fired." She continued to explain to her friends what had happened with Letitia al the way down to the village.

"The little..."Rolanda couldn't seem to be able to articulate words bad enough for the woman. "Urrgh!"

"Never mind, Ro," Minerva said. "Look, the new Bluebottle 360 is out!"

Rolanda lost all interest in Letitia and rushed across the street to see the new broom, proudly on display in the shop window. Poppy and Minerva followed her at a more leisurely pace. The broom was mahogany coloured and fitted in silver clasping. It was very beautiful.

"Oh, let's go in, see if they know where it was..." Rolanda was so excited that the others couldn't bear to disappoint her and so they followed her into the already crowded shop.

--

Minerva watched Poppy admire herself in the mirror. They had been shopping for over two hours and still not bought many things. Even Rolanda was trying on all the new flying robes. Minerva bought nothing, as she didn't want to waste her carefully hoarded money on clothes.

Poppy finally decided on the red dress and they left the shop, purchases under their arms.

"So, Minerva, what are you panning for your birthday?" Rolanda asked as they climbed back up to the castle, cloaks drawn tight around them.

"My birthday?" Minerva asked confused, "Oh! My birthday, right. Nothing, really .Anyway, do you think my sister would come up to see me?"

"Good point, but Min! It's your birthday!"

"I'm aware of that," Minerva said acidly.

"You have to do _something_ for it!" said Rolanda.

"I do not." snapped Minerva. "There is n o one to celebrate it with and I cannot wast money on things for myself."

"We'll celebrate it with, you Minerva." said Poppy quietly.

Minerva immediately became contrite, "I'm sorry, girls, I know you would. Best friends forever, remember?"

The other two smiled, but they didn't talk all the way back up to the castle.

--

Poppy and Rolanda left Minerva in the Entrance Hall and walked back to the Hospital Wing.

"I could strangle Albus!" cried the normally gentle Poppy.

"And his little butterfly." said Rolanda darkly, as she had come to refer to Letitia.

"Mm," said Poppy, thoughtfully. "At any rate, Albus and Minerva should at least become friends again."

"How are you going to manage that, then?" asked Rolanda. " 'The pet' won't like that. And she's cleverer than she looks, believe me. My sister told me about her; they went to school together."

"Well, we can't interfere with the wedding, but at least we can make sure that they're friends before it." answered Poppy. "Let me think about it."

--

Minerva looked at herself and frowned. Her ugly, solemn grey eyes stared at her from the mirror. Minerva herself was wearing an old pair of black robes. Her other's were in the wash and these didn't show the shabbiness of most of her clothes. She had let out some of the seams and patched them with magic so that they seemed as smart as anything the Wizengamot would wear. She sighed and made her way to supper.

Minerva seated herself by Albus, ignoring him completely. Until he talked to her, that is.

"Good evening Minerva," he said, victorian manners perfect.

"Evening, Albus," she replied frostily.

"How are you?"

"Fine. Why shouldn't I be?"

"I was just wondering!" He held his hands up in defence.

"Don't bother."

"Minerva -" he began, but she cut him off.

"Stop it, Albus. Don't you have some paperwork to do?" she added rather cuttingly.

He didn't answer but looked at her intently; she felt as if her whole soul was up for scrutiny.

"Is there something wrong, Albus? It is not polite to stare at a lady." she sniped.

"_If there were any Ladies around," _Minerva heard someone mutter. She looked around. Letitia was staring at her unfathomably. Minerva gritted her teeth and pushed her food away from her. She stood up with a bang and left, grating out a brittle, "G'night," to the rest of the table.

Minerva, back in her room, grabbed a small bottle of firewhisky and sat by the fire. She downed a small glass then vanished the bottle so that she wouldn't be tempted.

Minerva took a small silver chain out of the neck of her robes and looked at it. It was in a Celtic pattern, silver intertwining with in an intricate pattern. An emerald stone nestled among the silver, and around the outside of the pendant, a fringe of thin, delicate onyx laced the edge. Albus had given it to her for her twenty-first birthday, the year she had begun teaching at Hogwarts. He had said that the onyx was the one of the colours of his family crest and that the emerald was the colour of her soul. It had touched her deeply and she had thanked him extravagantly, kissing on the cheeks repeatedly, he had turned brick-red; she had never owned something so precious. The memory brought sparkling tears to her eyes. She held it tightly, clenching it in her fist as she slowly fell asleep by the fire.

--

Please review and thank, so so so so so so much everyone who reviewed! You make my world spin!


	4. Lettuces and Thistles

Reviews make me so happy! Thank-you so much for all of them!

Chapter Three.

Lettuces and Thistles.

"Thistle! Thistle! Where are you, you daft animal!? I'm cold!" Minerva called from the Steps of the Great Hall. Thistle hadn't come in for her lunch, breakfast or supper, and Minerva was worried. So here she was, calling like Filchs' batty cousin, Mrs. Figg, for one of her many cats. But _where_ was Thistle?

Minerva gave up, turning to go back to the castle, when out of the corner of her eye, she saw something flash just to her left. She spun round to look, wand at the ready, but there was nothing there.

Minerva approached the place she had seen it and poked around in the scrub carefully. There was still nothing. "Hello?" she whispered.

She cocked her head and listened. There was nothing but ...

_Crack!_

Minerva shot out her wand again. This time, the noise was in the forest. It had sounded exactly like someone running away. Who?

A howl of something echoed over the misty forest. Minerva shivered and went back to the steps into the Entrance Hall.

She would have to tell Albus about this.

--

Poppy tapped her foot on the golden staircase nervously. She had come to talk to Albus about Minerva, but she wouldn't be able to if Letitia was there. She didn't think she could stand any more talks about make-up brands. Rolanda had also not been informed of her destination. Poppy had a feeling that the names, 'The Lettuce,' or 'The Pet' or even, 'The Butterfly'. That would have meant three of them facing dismissal from their posts. Albus _had _to befriend Minerva again.

Poppy banged the door-knocker and waited for the inevitable "Enter!" Sure enough, it came and Poppy entered, twisting her fingers, but managing to maintain her stern Matron look.

"Poppy! What can I do for you?" he looked surprised.

"It's about Minerva, Albus." she looked him straight in the eye; blue met blue.

He gestured to sit down. She took the seat and clasped her hands. _Here I go,_ she thought and started speaking.

"Albus, why isn't Minerva speaking to you?" Feigning ignorance seemed like a good thing to do.

"We had a falling out," he said, puzzled.

Throwing away the ignorance dodge, she said; "She told me that Letitia had something to do with it."

His expression tightened. "I do not see that it is any business of yours, Poppy."

Anger flared in Poppy's fair Hufflepuff heart. "It _is_ my business, Albus! Minerva has been working overtime, and you seem not to have noticed! She does paperwork, gets the Ministry off your lazy, unworthy back and is, for some reason, very close to losing her job because she told the truth and your..._fiancé _didn't like it!"

A;bus surveyed her with piercing eyes. "It is good to know your thoughts Poppy, as with all my employees. However, this is between Minerva and me."

_You and Letitia, you mean,_ thought Poppy angrily. Out loud, she said; "Minerva is wasting away, Headmaster."

Now he looked startled and faintly worried. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I say. She works far too hard, Albus. And she values your friendship..." Poppy hesitated. "values your friendship more than you know."

Albus looked at her calculatingly. "What do you mean, 'wasting away'?"

Poppy sighed. "She just goes to bed later, sleeps worse, eats less, and is not very happy."

Albus swallowed; Poppy wondered what was going on in his head. "Thank-you, Poppy," he said eventually. "I will take your words into account."

Sensing the interview was over, she nodded and excused herself. Back on the stairs, she closed her eyes as they transported her back down. She had done it! She only hoped he _would _apologise to Minerva or at least_ try_ make friends with her again.

--

Minerva, who was very emotional at the moment, though good at hiding it, felt tears prick at her eyes. Where was Thistle? Minerva couldn't bear the thought of her being lunch for a Flesh-Eating Bugbear or a punchbag for a suspicious Krup.

Where was she?

Minerva sniffed and pulled on her black skirt to go to lunch in. All the students were in Hogsmeade, apart from the First and Second-Years so it would be peaceful. She was too miserable to dress up and the skirt and green blouse suited fine.

The Great Hall _was _quiet and she gratefully dropped into her chair and liberally sprinkled her lamb with mint sauce. She hadn't had that in ages but it didn't help to lighten her mood very much. Thistle was weighing to heavily on her mind.

She was just contemplating another round of carrots when Albus spoke to her.

"How are you, Minerva?"

She nearly dropped her fork. What was wrong with her? "I am fine."

He bobbed his head. "Good, good."

She couldn't help it; she turned to look at him. She knew immediately that it was a bad idea. Albus was searching her eyes intently. It was not a pleasant experience.

"Is something wrong?" he asked ever-so-gently...and kindly.

Minerva felt the sense of overwhelming sadness and a heavy burden come down on her. "No." she said firmly, proud of the strong way her voice came out.

He looked unconvinced, but the food suddenly disappeared and the teachers began leaving the table. Minerva stood quickly and left, skirt swishing. But Albus caught up with her in the Charms corridor.

"Minerva, something _is _wrong," he said slightly breathlessly.

"Well observed, Albus."

He frowned. "Minerva ..."

"What, Albus?! Worried about me? Or wondering if I could possibly do the last foot of data for the parents of the muggle-borns?" She felt satisfied at her outburst; it had been long in coming.

"You know I would never do that." he said solemnly. "I am genuinely worried for you."

"How sweet." she said acidly.

"Minerva, _please_ don't snap at everything I say." Now he sounded weary.

"What do you have to say then?"

"I want us to be friends again, Minerva. I realise that I have not treated you completely fairly and I think words will not suffice to say how sorry I am."

Minerva nearly gaped. She nearly said something sarcastic, but the look in his eyes! And he had meant it, she could tell. She wanted to be friends again so much...

"I'm sorry Minerva, I'll – I'll leave you to think, then."

"Oh, you silly man!" Minerva grabbed him round the neck and squeezed. Hard. Albus froze.

"Minerva?" he choked.

"Forgiven, old man," she said affectionately, a nickname she had been calling him for years.

Now he squeezed her back. "I'm so glad, Minerva."

"Me too." Minerva stood back and grinned at him. "Come on, I have a very small amount of butterbeer in my room."

He didn't look very comfortable. "I - er – Minerva ..."

Minerva looked, puzzled, at him. "Why not...?" Then it hit her. "Oh, Letitia, right. I forgot, sorry Albus."

"No, no, I'm the sorry one. It's just she might get the wrong idea and..." he trailed off. "I'm sorry Minerva."

"You've already said that once." she pointed out with amusement.

"Must be getting absent minded in my old age, eh?"

"The great Albus Dumbledore? Absent minded? No way!!" she said, deadpan.

Albus laughed. "Feel free to come and visit us, all right?"

"I – yes, of course, Albus. So," she said as they walked back to the Entrance Hall, "d_id _you ever get the book we were talking about?"

"Ahh, you never know, my dear, you never know..." they went off into the sun of the grounds talking happily.

Poppy, watching from an upstairs window, felt she had done her job very well.

--

Minerva plonked herself down happily at the staff table and began piling sausages onto the gold plate.

"Good Morning, Minerva." Albus said, watching her slice them up.

Filius looked up to stare; Professor Merrythought was watching them; Letitia smugly continued eating her lettuce and radishes.

"'Morning Albus!" She sang. The rest of the professor's at the table stared open-mouthed. Letitia dropped her knife and fork with a clatter.

"How are you this morning?" Albus asked, smiling.

The happiness drained from her face. "Thistle is still missing. She didn't come in for food this morning and – and there are so many _things _in the forest and the lake; I hope nothing has happened to him."

"Oh Minerva." Albus would have liked to pick her up and hug her tightly, but he thought it wasn't proper. "I'm sure nothing's happened to him."

"Well, if she hasn't come for food, there must be something wrong." Letitia put in blandly.

"Don't be stupid, pet!" said Rolanda venomously. "Everyone knows you're terrified of cats!"

Letitia opened her blue eyes wide. "Madam Hooch!I -"

"Well, you are! And what's more -"

"Rolanda!" barked Albus, "I'll thank you all to _hold your tongues_!"

The table quieted and Albus turned to Minerva, who was looking at her plate of hash-browns that remained untouched and were now getting cold.

"When did you last see her?"

"Three days ago."

"We'll all keep an eye out for her, I promise," he said seriously.

Minerva smiled. "Thanks Albus."

--

Letitia hummed Celestina Warbeck's newest song, "Tiger, tiger" and pulled out a dark green dress. Hmm, maybe it wasn't quite what she was looking for. Perhaps this one...

No, to heavy. Ah, how about her summer robes? They were in a chest of drawers in the corner of her and Albus' bedroom. Letitia opened the top drawer, feeling around through the magically enhanced size of the drawer, digging through her many clothes.

She felt something warm and furry in amongst the clothes: the something moved: Letitia froze; the thing in the drawer wriggled, and Letitia screamed.

"Alllll-buuuuuuuuuuuuus!"

--

Minerva knocked on Albus' door, hoping Letitia wasn't there. She wasn't.

"Hey Albus, there are some letters from Madam Marshbanks and Professor Tofty you might want to read."

He took them, skimming the first few lines before putting them down on the desk. "Thank-you Minerva – has Thistle turned up yet?"

She sighed. "No. I just hope she hasn't ended up as a snack for Flesh-Eating Bugbear."

"Oh, Minerva, Thistle is a cat – she hasn't been around for reason."

"Oh, that's comforting," she said sarcastically, "anyway, your fiancé pointed that out to me at breakfast."

He frowned. "I am not -" He stopped. A loud shriek from the next room stopped him up short.

"Letitia!" He jumped up, dropping the papers all over the floor, as she noticed ruefully, and sprang across the room, Minerva close behind him.

Letitia was standing in front of her chest of drawers, face set in utter terror, pointing breathlessly at the innocent piece of furniture. "Some..thing in...there." she panted out, scrambling behind Albus, not forgetting to give Minerva a bad look. "Something...furry."

Minerva snorted derisively. "It's probably just a nest of puffskeins. Let's have a look." Minerva opened the drawer,pulling out the clothes none to gently, as Letitia noticed.

Minerva felt the furry thing. Stopping herself from pulling her hand out, she pulled the last of the clothes out and poked the small bundles of fur. One of them squeaked. Looking confusedly at Albus, Minerva gently lifted the tiny form out.

It was a kitten. Tiny and dark grey, it hadn't even opened it's eyes yet. "Oh, wee one," whispered Minerva, "how did you get here? Where's your Mammy, eh?"

"Rowl!" a dark grey shape flung itself on to Letitia and clawed it's way up her pink dressing robe.

Letitia screamed, loudly. The grey shape aimed one more swipe at her, then jumped to Minerva, meowing up at her.

"Thistle!" she cried. The cat jumped up onto the chest of drawers and gently took the kitten from her hand. "Oh, you sweet cat! They're yours!"

Thistle blinked at her, then settled down into her nest again, licking her kittens tenderly. Minerva turned to Albus happily. "Can you believe it?! She's had kittens!"

"All over my summer clothes!" interjected Letitia angrily, "I demand that you make them leave at once!"

Minerva looked at her scornfully and angrily. "You can't move her now," she said heatedly,"it will be too much shock for them, and Thistle might take them somewhere else, somewhere_ I_ can't look after them."

"I'll tell you what," said Albus quickly, "We can move the chest to Minerva's room. That way, they are gone from your bedroom and Minerva can look after them."

"But I need it for my clothes!" Letitia shrieked.

"The kittens are living creatures; they are far more important than clothes, Letitia." said Albus, starting to get annoyed. Minerva was in the seventh heaven of delight over the bundles of fur and his fiancé was ruining it for her!

Letitia mouthed wordlessly, then stormed out of the room. Minerva looked at Albus. "This is very kind of you, Albus."

"I said I would look for Thistle for you – and so here I am, upholding my promise."

"But Letitia..." trailed off Minerva.

"She will have to grin and bear it," said Albus. "She will come round."

Minerva felt a light foreboding of that statement inside, but did not voice it, instead she said; "Right. So how shall we move these drawers, then?"

--

Hope you liked! Thank-you to everyone who reviewed. You are so, like, the best!

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	5. Birthday Surprises

Thanks to the great people who have read and reviewed so far and this is for all of you!

Chapter Five.

Birthday Surprises.

Minerva woke feeling expectant, for some reason, and it worried her. Was Peeves planning a full scale attack on the teachers? Was it April Fool's day? Then she remembered. _Birthday! _It was her Birthday!

She groaned and rolled over onto her side. Birthday's were not something to celebrate - not for her, anyway. What would Rolanda do? Arrange another party in the staff room? And would she rope Poppy into it as well? Oh, today would not be fun.

She got up and swung her legs out of bed, knowing that Thistle would soon be in to bother her about getting her breakfast.

BANG!

A loud flash of red and gold fire announced the arrival of Fawkes. Minerva, who had been used to the phoenix before Letitia had come to Hogwarts, managed not to shriek out loud – but it was a close thing.

"Fawkes," she hissed. "What are you doing?!"

He trilled indignantly, and nudged an oblong parcel he was carrying towards her. Mystified, Minerva took the parcel. Fawkes was eyeing her keenly.

She opened it to find a book.

_To Minerva, _it read, in a familiar script;

_Worlds within Worlds, _

_Meanings within Names;_

The writing stopped there and Minerva looked at the cover of the book: _Pride and Prejudice_ was emblazoned on the front. Mystified, Minerva opened the cover and saw, just to confuse her more, another book inside the cover.

_The History of the Theorems of Transfiguration Through the Ages. _

Grinning, Minerva read the note on the front.

_I thought you would like both books – but you know me, Minerva, I couldn't resist setting you a little puzzle. Pride and Prejudice is one of the most prestigious books in Muggle literature and it is also an epic romance – I know there is a romantic somewhere in you._

_Enjoy **both **the books and I am expecting a full review of them by next week. _

_Happy Birthday!_

_Albus. _

Minerva smiled, taking the Transfiguration book out if it's cover and picking up_ Pride and Prejudice. _She didn't like to think how much they both must have cost.

Dressing quickly, she went to the hall, (after feeding her very hungry cat) and sat down, hoping to avoid any birthday greetings. It was not, however, to be.

"Happy Birthday, Min!" cried Poppy, descending on Minerva to give her a hug. Minerva hugged her back.

"Thanks Poppy."

"Happy Birthday, Minerva!" cried Rolanda.

"Thanks Ro."

"Best wishes , Minerva, m'dear," boomed Slughorn.

"Thanks Horace."

"Good luck for the next year of your life, darling!" cried Professor Sinistra.

"I'll need it," said Minerva dryly. Amidst all this, sat Albus. He was smiling in a very happy way, and waiting for the crowd to subside. Every one of Minerva's birthday's were like this; she wanted no one to notice, but as she was so popular, the staff wouldn't let that happen.

Every year, Minerva struggled through whatever party had been arranged, whatever bar had been booked, whichever band had been asked to play, and was courteous to whoever was invited as well. And on every birthday, Albus would give his present to her in a peaceful moment and she would appreciate it more then most of the others, and would laugh and kiss him (where depended on the amount of wine she had consumed beforehand) and they would be very happy for the rest of the evening. With a jolt, Albus returned to the present. Where had those days gone? It must have been...it must have been when he had become engaged to Letitia; well, everyone knows that marriage changed you forever but – surely this was a little extreme?

Minerva turned to Albus, after having bravely fought off her well-wishers. "Thank-you for the books, Albus, they must have cost the earth, though."

"I would spend the earth on you, Minerva, if it was within my ability." Albus smiled charmingly. Minerva grinned back as she always had, fully and completely, not hiding her emotions from him.

"Thank-you, Albus." And Albus knew that this 'thank-you' was different from all the other thank-you's she had given the rest of the people at the table.

Letitia had not been able to face breakfast – the incident of the kittens had been _so _bad for her nerves, as Poppy had related, in heart-broken tones hiding the laughing inside her, to Minerva and Rolanda in the the village. The rest of the staff were hiding their delight over this in more tactful ways – for one thing, Filius was singing an old Irish shanty which Letitia had said had got on her nerves, Professor Sinistra was absently drawing the positions of moons on her napkin. Letitia had informed her that the scratching of the pen annoyed her.

Minerva, sitting next to Albus and Filius, looked down at the students happily. It was easy to forget about Letitia and Albus' wedding and imagine that it was going to be another day teaching, another day of laughing with Albus, discussing everything and everyone with Albus, doing the necessary requirements for the school with Albus – Minerva blinked. Had she really done that much with him? Never mind. Letitia wasn't around and that was enough for her. She sat back and crunched her toast.

--

Minerva threw herself onto her bed and sighed happily. Rolanda had not thrown a party, as the three of them were going down to the Leaky Cauldron that evening, Letitia was still enjoying elf-service too much to attend meals and Albus and her were as good friends as they had been 'before the Lettuce' as Rolanda so quaintly put it.

Thistle, rudely awakened by Minerva's headlong charge into her bedroom, poked her head out from the chest of drawers that she was residing in with her kittens. Giving Minerva a look of disgust, she turned to lick her offspring.

Minerva rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. Oh, life was not so terrible ... but it would be after Albus was married to The Lettuce. Life would be close on not worth it if Albus got married. Minerva shoved those thoughts from her mind; her twenty-eighth birthday was going to be a good day, regardless of the over-sized vegetable living in Albus' rooms and stood up, resolutely thinning her lips and going to her wardrobe to get some nice robes out.

--

Kitted out in a pair of deepest blue robes that had been her sisters mourning clothes, Minerva sat on one of the wide shallow steps that led up to Hogwarts, waiting for Poppy and Rolanda to come.

She loved the autumn. The smells of the leaves rotting in the forest, the small animals gathering frantically for their winter hibernation, and the cold, crisp nights, with the occasional scorcher reminiscent of the hight of summer.

That particular night, it was cool and frosty. A blue mist rose over the Forbidden Forest. The lights of the Ogg the groundskeeper's hut were glowing yellow from the fire. Behind her, the school rose, tall and ancient, new and old at the same time. Minerva leant against the pillar she was sitting in front of and surveyed the scene peacefully. All of a sudden, a _crack _echoed over the silent grounds.

Scanning the area, alert as her feline form, she slowly stood up and raise her wand. With a sickening feeling of _deja vu, _she called, "If there is anyone there, come out. If you are a friend, we will not call the Ministry – if you aren't,the grounds will be swarming with Aurors in minutes."

Minerva knew it was probably only an animal, but she was not taking any chances; there were no werewolves any more in the Forest, but plenty of other things dwelt in its dark dells.

A loud rustling sounded as if the thing was coming closer. To surrender or to attack her she wasn't sure – but Minerva Jean McGonagall was not going to run!

The rustling grew louder. Minerva raised her wand and got ready to jump from any hexes that may come her way -

"_There _you are, Min!" Rolanda was hurrying down the steps, yellow robes flapping. The rustling stopped immediately and there was dead silence.

"What are you doing?" asked Rolanda, seeing Minerva attack stance, and stopping dead.

"Ssh, Ro!" whispered Poppy, catching up on Minerva's alarm. "What is it, Minerva?"

Minerva lowered her wand. "I heard something," she said slowly. "It sounded as if it was a human – I threatened to call the Ministry and the thing came nearer – that's why I was ready to attack."

Poppy looked at the forest apprehensively. "Let's go inside and take the Floo or a portkey. I can't think what it was, but Albus needs to know and it would help matters if we were not attacked on the way into Hogsmeade."

Reluctantly, Minerva saw the sense in this. "All right. Come on, then." They traipsed back to the castle and entered Minerva's rooms.

"Floo is on the mantelpiece." she said absently, looking around for her purse, before she spotted it lying on the sofa. "I'm ready. Let's go!"

--

The Three Broomsticks was packed. Rolanda pushed open the door and poked her head. She immediately withdrew her head, bumping into Poppy, who was behind her.

"It's Dumbledore!" she hissed, pulling her friends away from the pub and into a side-street.

"Rolanda, what...?" asked Poppy crossly, putting her hands on her hips.

"It's Dumbledore! Hurry up, hurry up!" she was jigging on her feet, trying to drag further into the shadows.

Caught by her urgency, Poppy and Rolanda obeyed and the tall, thin man passed, his beard illuminated in the light from the opposite shops.

When he had gone, Minerva turned to Rolanda. "Rolanda, what is going on? Why, of all things, are we running away from Albus Dumbledore?"

"I'll tell you later – let's go somewhere safe."

Poppy raised her eyebrows. "And The Three Broomsticks isn't safe because...?"

"He might have friends still there!" hissed Rolanda. "It isn't safe!"

Poppy sighed. "All right, let's go to Madam Puddifoots; it's new. Is that all right with you, Minerva?"

Minerva nodded. She had not been in this new shop and didn't mind,. As long as they got somewhere _warm._

Madam Puddifoots was warm; it was also **pink, **as a disgusted Minerva and Rolanda saw. Poppy, ordering a round of butterbeer for them, led them to a secluded table and sat down.

"Now, Rolanda I want to know why we are running from our employer. Did you call Letitia 'Butterfly' to her face in front of Albus?"

"You didn't, did you?" asked Minerva, alarmed.

"Eh, it wasn't anything like that. And it wasn't _Albus _Dumbledore we were running from; it was _Aberforth _Dumbledore."

"What?!" said Poppy loudly, then, remembering where they were, lowered her voice. "_Aberforth _Dumbledore?"

Minerva nodded, "Yes, he has a brother – he owns the Hog's Head down at the other end of the village; but why are you scared of him, Ro?"

She grimaced. "I-er...well, I sort of offered to give Gertrude a ride on my broom."

"Who's Gertrude?" asked Poppy, and at the same time, Minerva asked;

"Why's that so terrible?"

"Gertrude is his er...his favourite goat," muttered Rolanda, ducking her head and taking a fortifying gulp of butterbeer.

"His favourite_ goat_?" said Poppy faintly, "Rolanda, why...?"

"Why has he got _goats?"_ asked Minerva, wondering if this was all a set-up for her birthday.

Rolanda chose to answer Minerva's question. "He's got hundreds up at his place...he keeps them in the house, in the stables, in the _parlour, _for crying put loud!"

"But Ro," protested Poppy, "_why _did you offer to take the goat for a ride?"

"Well, he told me the muggles have a form of transport called a _hot-air balloon, _and the first things to go up in it was a goat and cockerel and some other creature," Rolanda took a sip from her butterbeer, just to make sure it was still there. "I thought he might want Gertrude to be the first _wizards _goat to fly. He – well, needless to say he wasn't that – erm, pleased."

Minerva and Poppy stared at their friend in utter flabagastment – then their very similar senses of humours kicked in; first Minerva, then Poppy began to roar with laughter. Rolanda stared at them, at first inclined to be insulted, before she saw the funny side as well.  
Soon all three witches were laughing like hyenas.

"Oh, Ro" gasped Minerva, as soon as she was coherent again. "You do...beat all!"

Poppy slurped her butterbeer, then choked on it as Minerva giggled; "Gertrude!" Minerva pounded her on the back, both giggling like little girls.

"So, Min, tell us about Thistle's kittens!" said Rolanda exuberantly, once the laughing fit had subsided.

"Oh, they're ever so sweet," said Minerva happily, "There's an all black one, a tortoiseshell, a tabby, a ginger, and a black and white one,"

"Oh, do they have names?"

"No," said Minerva, amused.

"Ooh, how about Thistle Junior?!" cried Rolanda, "or Little Squee!"

Minerva stared at her friend as if she had sprouted an extra head. "Little Squee?" she asked incredulously.

"Oh, but it's such a sweet name! Go on, Min, call the kitten that!" urged Poppy.

"I tell you what," smiled Minerva, "if I let you both name a kitten each will you promise to leave out Little Squee?"

As their squeal of indignation washed over Minerva, she smiled and sat back. This wasn't so bad after all; in fact, the Lettuce might have even been born...

--

Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	6. The Big Day

I would have updated last night, but F. had an error.

Queens are female cats, toms are male. Thanks for the reviews! You all are so cool!

Chapter Six.

The Big Day

Minerva sighed as she waved her N.E.W.T students off from the Hogsmeade station. It was, at last, the holidays and, what's more, the holidays in which Albus would be married.

"You'll miss them, won't you, Minerva?"

Minerva turned round to find Albus himself standing behind her. "How observant of you, Headmaster."

"Minerva..." he said in a warning tone. She had been getting more and more waspish as the end of term drew nearer.

She waved her hand negligently. "Yes, I'll miss them." she shrugged. "I hope Weasley and Miss. Black have a happy life together."

Septimus Weasley and Cedrella Black were engaged to be married – against the Black families' will.

"Oh, they will," said Albus comfortingly, "Now, there is a carriage awaiting us."

They walked back to th gates where carriage, drawn by a Thestral, visible to few of the staff apart from Minerva, Albus and Professor Grubbly-Plank.

The carriage smelt stale, which Minerva's heightened senses picked up; "Albus, we should really get round to spring-cleaning these, you know."

He wrinkled his nose against the smell, but said, "Ah, but makes them so authentic! The smell of years gone by, the – Oof," he gasped as Minerva punched him in the side.

"Albus!" she cried, "I was being serious!"

"That reminds me," he said, suddenly serious. "This thing in the Forest that you heard – I would call the Ministry, but I want to know more before calling all units; I can assure you, however," he added quickly, seeing her mouth open angrily, "that the wards are so strong that perhaps only the great Merlin himself would be able to get past them; Intruder alarms are everywhere; Muggle repelling charms and self-casting jinxes. We are safe as it is possible to be – and my friend Roland Dawlish is in the village with a few of his Auror friends."

More satisfied, she sat back. "It was a human, of that I am sure – but _who_ is beyond my ken."

"Well, yes; I have called a staff meeting and all will be present. It **is **a threat and we have to be careful."

"I agree." Minerva spent the rest of the journey in contemplative silence.

Walking through the main corridors, Minerva felt the lonesomeness that came with the end of term. The corridors were empty, the classrooms were quiet, the grounds peaceful. It was terrible.

No one would come running to tell her that William Potter had filled the Gryffindor common room with fireworks, or to scream hysterically that an experiment in the lab had gone and wrong and just look at my nose! Or to tell her that the Slytherin team were hogging the pitch.

Minerva sighed and cuddled little Bree, Thistle's smallest and prettiest kitten, who, like her bothers and sisters, was a healthy cat.

Bree squirmed, mewling shrilly. "Oh, baban, hush," cooed Minerva. Bree butted her chin. Rollo, named so because of the yellow eyes that reminded her of Rolanda, Squee, the ginger tom, had been named so by Rolanda herself. Frodo was the black tom, named by Minerva after the hero of her father's favourite muggle book, The Lord of the Rings. Sheba was the tortoiseshell queen, and enjoyed bossing her siblings around. Dulcet was another queen, named after the famous Healer – Poppy had named her – and last but not least, was Bree, the black and white queen and the smallest of her litter.

"Minerva!"Came Rolanda's voice through the door. "Let us in! Hurry up!"

Minerva opened the portrait. Poppy and Rolanda were standing in front of it, Poppy looking quite calm, Rolanda was seething. As soon as she opened the door, the flying instructor fell through it.

"Min, Min! She's set a date, she's set date!"

"First of all, Rolanda, my name is Minerva, and second, please lower your voice." when Rolanda was quieter, she asked, "So who has a set a date for what?"

"Letitia! Look, an invitation! The wedding is at 11o'clock on New Years Day!"

"What...?" Minerva took the piece of pink paper and read the gilt letters.

_Mr. and Mrs. Archicadeon Dumbledore, formally invite _

_Ms. Rolanda Hooch to the joyous union of_

_Miss. Letitia Gordon and Albus Dumbledore in_

_Holy Matrimony._

_Wedding ceremony will be held in the Great Hall of_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_on the 1st of January at 11 o'clock._

_Please send reply back by the 22nd of December._

Minerva stared at the rose coloured paper in such a mixture of emotions it was hard for her to form any coherent thought.

_Married...they're getting married..._

Poppy and Rolanda watched Minerva's reaction and feared the worst. Surely Albus wouldn't do it? Wouldn't tie the knot?

--

Minerva shook as she shredded a winter-lily to pieces. It was happening! Really happening! They were going to get married and go away and Albus would change and then she'd have to do the wards and the paperwork and the bills and manage Gringotts and the school would fall into ruin. And she'd lose her best friend.

Tears fell from her grey eyes, sobs racked her wiry frame. Oh, everything was so**_ wrong_. **Wrong, wrong, **wrong!**

The bench she was sitting on creaked as she moved. The wind was cold here, in this remote corner of the grounds, but it suited her Scottish bones much better than the warmth of the castle. There was a bleak view of the forest, the frozen lake, and the blue hills in the distance.

Minerva brought her sobbing under control at last and wiped her eyes. _I must look a sight,_ she thought, performing a handy little charm to take the evidence of the tears away.

She looked at the forest, then remembered. _Oh no, the intruder...Albus told me not to go outside on my own...Well, stuff Albus and stuff what he tells me to do! Anyone who marries that feather-brained, addle-pated vegetable is a fool! _But she immediately regretted her words. Fool or not, he was _her_fool.

A loud smashing, stumbling noise accompanied by loud cursing, shocked Minerva out of her misery for a moment. _There is someone here! _She pulled out her wand and held it steady, proud of how strong her grip was.

"Come out, whoever you are! My offer still stands!" she shouted fiercely.

There was more cursing then a figure emerged from the trees. Minerva held steady.

The figure lifted it's arms. "I mean no harm. I will not attack." It was a man's voice.

"Come here, then." said Minerva, not lowering her wand in the least.

He stood in front of her, laying down his wand on the grass carefully. Minerva looked him over. He had brown hair, cut to just past his ears and amber-brown eyes. His skin was a healthy tanned colour, though the fobes he wore were tattered and worn.

"Who are you? Have you been trespassing on Hogwarts land?" she demanded

"I am David Murdock. I – I know someone up at the school." He spoke with a strong voice and an American accent.

"So you camped out in the Forbidden Forest?" said Minerva scornfully, "Why didn't you just come and ask for this person?"

"She – I suppose you could say she was out of my reach, ma'am."

"Who is she? Not a student?!" The shocking thought just occurred to her.

"No! No ma'am!" he seemed as shocked as she was. "Her name is Letitia Gordon. I hear she's getting married."

Minerva didn't let her shock show. What trick was Letitia playing now? "What do you want with her?"

"We were childhood sweethearts. We grew up together and I asked her to marry me last year. We had a quarrel – something so trivial that I can't even remember what it was about – and she walked out and never returned."

Minerva believed him; there was something about this honest, straightforward young man that she trusted and liked. "Yes, Letitia is getting married. To Albus Dumbledore – January the 1st." She knew it was stupid to tell him an she couldn't explain why had done it anyway.

"Thank-you, ma'am. How do you know? Not that I'm doubting you truthfulness or anything ..." he added hastily.

"I'm a teacher up at the school. I can get you an audience with her, if you want."

"No. No thank-you, ma'am, but I just don't understand. She's still engaged to me! How can she go off with the Headmaster?"

"She didn't 'go off with the Headmaster'" said Minerva heatedly, defending Albus' honour. "They met in the Leaky Cauldron," She finished, even as her heart sank to her boots.

"My apologies, ma'am. I meant no offence. I'd-er-best, be going." He tried to retreat.

"Wait a moment! Where will you go now?" cried Minerva.

"I dunno, ma'am. I've been sleeping in a hut in the Forest for the last few months."

Minerva thought quickly. "You can come up to the castle," she said, "I can pretend you're a guest for the wedding."

He looked as if he was thinking hard as well. "Surely you'd get into trouble?"

"I might but -"

He cut her off. "You've been very kind to me, ma'am and I wouldn't want to cause you any trouble. But could you tell me when they'll be doing the ceremony?"

"11o'clock, but surely -" He had melted back into the trees, leaving not a trace behind him.

Stunned, Minerva stood stock still before remembering where she was; she hurried back up to the school with a very confused mind.

--

"Minerva?" Poppy quietly entered Minerva's rooms with an arm full of small, deep red flowers. "These are the last of the cherry-roses from the kitchen garden. I thought they would go with your gown."

"Thank-you, Poppy." said Minerva sombrely. Poppy and Rolanda both knew why she was so solemn and perhaps Poppy knew, or thought, less than she let on.

Today was Albus' big day. The day he would marry Letitia Gordon. And Minerva felt as if she was being led to her own execution; how was she going to be able to sit there, watching her best friend in all the world commit himself to a monster?  
But here she was, looking at herself in the mirror, waiting for the word to enter the Great Hall where the ceremony would take place; she had got an invitation in the end, but only because Albus had jogged Letitia's suddenly forgetful memory.

Her dress was one she had made herself, changing the style with some charms and a wee bit of Transfiguration. It was a deep red, a colour that suited Minerva right down to her boots. There were gathers at the sleeves, which were full and dragging; the skirt went out in a gentle circle around her, and the corset was well-made and had golden stitching in Celtic patterns along it, but , unknown to all, a black and green necklace was hidden beneath her dress.

"Here, let me do it." Poppy had a fine dress-sense and she was using her ingenuity to the uttermost for her two friends. She had braided two parts of Minerva's hair, then twisted them behind her head, fastening them with a silver clip decorated with hanging silver chains, leaving the rest loose to tumble in voluptuous locks over her shoulders and down her back. She was now carefully working the small, cherry-red roses into her hair behind her ears.

Even in her despondent mood, Minerva thought that she was looking prettier than she had ever before. The dark red of the dress was exactly the right shade for her skin, showing the paleness of her ivory skin and showing just enough of her body to catch attention. The silver was an unusual twist, but it was lovely. Her hair was amazing, catching the light and glowing red. Minerva sighed. If this had been any other occasion, she would have had trouble tearing herself away from the glass – it wasn't that she was vain – she had just never had enough pretty dresses and certainly few new ones.

"Minerva, you look stunning," said Poppy. "You will turn even the bridegrooms head!"

Minerva smiled weakly. "You look beautiful, Poppy; I've never seen you in clothes like that." Poppy did indeed look wonderful. She had a dark green, well fitting dress that matched her blue eyes and blonde hair, which was done in an intricate bun, wonderfully braided, twisted, and sewn in.

"Thanks, Minnie." Poppy seldom used that name, it was one she had called Minerva when they were small and unable to articulate proper names. Normally Minerva objected to the name, but this time she didn't. Poppy felt a surge of anger at the magnificent woman in front of her, reduced to a teary, apathetic way, grey eyes watery. Minerva was all 'fire and dew' and she had not been like this in the twenty-five years they had known each other.

"Hello Min," said another voice. Rolanda had arrived. She had also been subject to Poppy's fashion sense, and was wearing yellow robes that matched her eyes exactly, short hair fashionably spiky. "How are you feel – Hell, Minerva! You look – you look...wow, Min."

Minerva smiled a little more genuinely at her friends astonishment, then turned back to her reflection.

"When are we supposed to be seated, girls?" she asked.

"A half-hour past," answered Poppy, glancing at her watch. "It's a good time to go now; our seats are reserved at the front." She gently took Minerva's arm and led her out of her rooms.

The Great Hall was like it had never been before. Ribbons hung, suspended by magic, about halfway down from high ceiling. Fairies flutter about, little glowing orbs of multi-coloured light. There were a few guests, mainly men who had been told to stay out of the way of the women who were all fussing over Letitia's dress and_ toilette. _Minerva, still in her sad daze, consequently did not notice the appreciative glances sent to her by the various men in the room, of which Poppy and Rolanda were getting a fair share.

Their seats were at the front, with the rest of the professors. Minerva stared at her hands. She was stinging inside with guilt and indecision. She couldn't let Albus marry someone who was engaged to someone else...but Letitia might have broken it off and David might not have told her the truth - though she doubted that; he seemed like a trustworthy young man, such a person as Letitia didn't deserve.

And if she did tell him, would he hate her forever, for ruining his perfect marriage? Or would it break him and then he would end up as a travelling salesman. It **had **happened before, she thought gloomily.

Would David come to the wedding? The wards were being loosened so that the guests could arrive and he would find it easy to get in. She found herself hoping against hope that he would crash the wedding and whisk Letitia away to never be seen again – preferably because she had fallen into the clutches of a vampire, or a hag or a giant rampaging though the town...but she knew it was unlikely. They would get married and leave her on the outside, looking in, excluded forever.

The music started. Shocked, Minerva sat up. She watched Albus, in the most handsome robes of plum velvet, walk slowly down the isle. He stopped at the alter, where, to Rolanda's everlasting horror, Aberforth Dumbledore was standing in grubby priests' clothes, waiting to perform the ceremony. He winked at his brother, then turned to watch the bride parade down the isle.

Letitia was wearing the whitest dress, Minerva could have imagined; it was so white, it hurt to look at her; Minerva suspected Albus' mothers' involvement. The dress had a white netting over it, a thin corset which tapered to an embroidered point at her midriff. Her yellow hair was falling in bonny ringlets onto her shoulders and her eyes were smiling. You could nearly hear the whole congregation falling in love worth the blushing bride. She made Minerva feel so dowdy, in her dark finery and meagre jewels.

Aberforth, at the alter, looked his soon-to-be sister-in-law over appraisingly; Minerva didn't think he looked that thrilled. In turn, Letitia didn't look that pleased to be stood in front of Aberforth Dumbledore to be married.

"Wizards, witches, warlocks and well-wishers. We are gathered here today to witness the union of this man, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and this woman, Letitia Charlotte Gordon in most sacred magical matrimony."

Aberforth droned on, the two people in the front of the alter repeating after him.

"To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, forever and ever. I do." Letitia finished, smiling prettily at Albus; the congregation sighed.

"If there is any man or woman who have any objections to this union, speak now or forever hold you peace," said Aberforth in ringing tones.

Everyone looked around. Albus' mother, Caryla, in the very first row, tried not to fidget; she s_o_ wanted her son to marry the pretty, well mannered girl, as did her husband. Poppy looked around quietly, and Rolanda peered at everyone. The bride and groom watched their audience silently. No one said a thing, though Minerva, inside, was screaming, _tell them tell them **tell them! **_But she said nothing. She felt faint. It was then that a strong, familiar voice rang out from behind the congregation.

"**I** object!"

It was David.

--

Cliffie!! Mwuahahahahahahah! Tell me wht you think.


	7. The Strongest Magic

Thank-you for the reviews!! They mean so much to me; I'm sorry for not replying to all of them. I have been busy, but it does not mean that I do not value them - kay?

**7/3/07. I know this was terribly rushed, and so here is my solution; not so bad, I hope? An epilogue will be up as soon as I possibly can.**

Chapter Seven.

The Strongest Magic. 

"I object!" The young man's voice rang through the Hall.

The Bride and Groom stared down at him, then Letitia cried, "David!"

Albus drew himself up. "Young man, what do you mean by this?"

"She – we – are engaged to be married." said David defiantly.

Albus looked at the man, surveying him with that piercing blue gaze. "Letitia," he said, turning to his almost-wife, "Does he tell the truth?"

She looked at David with tears in her eyes; the congregation held its breath. "We've known each other since we were small, Albus. He asked me to marry him last year."

"And I meant every word of it." said David sincerely, ignoring Albus, who was starting to realise that something serious was happening here.

Letitia sniffed, "Oh David!" She flung herself into his arms, sobbing delicately onto his shoulder. Albus stared; Minerva didn't want to imagine the emotions that would be tumbling around inside him.

David whispered something into her ear, pulling her golden curls away from her face; she listened than said something back to him.

The two of them stood together, in the isle, and looked up at the speechless Albus. "Alby, I can't go through with this; I thought David and I were finished, but he's come back! You do understand, don't you?"

Albus still stared, not saying a thing. "Say something, Albus!" said Letitia, but David whispered something in her ear and she took his hand. "Goodbye, Albus; it's been good knowing you." And she walked, holding her fiancé's hand, up the isle, leaving behind her a surprised and speechless congregation that had gathered for her wedding. The doors slammed and the Hall was left in stillness.

Minerva was just as shocked as the rest of the guests, but her considerable poise was returning. Albus was still standing up at the alter, not moving and with a devastated look on his face. What was she going to do? An answer came to her immediately.

"_Potus sumestry."_ she whispered. A silver smoke screen shimmered into place, blocking off the alter where Aberforth and Albus were still standing. The women cried out in surprise and the men shot puzzled glances at each other.

Minerva whispered a few instructions to Poppy and Rolanda, then hurried to where Albus was standing behind the screen.

"Albus?" she whispered. He didn't move. "Albus!"

She walked over, taking his arm. "Albus we need to go. You can't stay here forever." She pulled more forcefully on his hand and he followed like a lamb, off the stage and into the Entrance Hall, away from the confused guests in the Great Hall.

Albus still followed her, eyes wide with shock. When they finally reached his chambers, Minerva muttered the password and they were soon in his private quarters.

"Albus ..." she began. He had come out of his shock and was now showing anger in his blue eyes.

"It's all right, Minerva, I am fine." It was said harsh and brittle.

She was not sure she believed that. "Albus, I don't know ..."

"Minerva!" he barked, "I am fine, as I said!"

Clenching her jaw, she did not back down. "You are **not **fine! I am sure this does not happen to you every day!"

"True, but I would appreciate it if you would leave me now."

Minerva's whole being radiated indignation. "Albus, I will come tomorrow. I–I ... Well, I will come by tomorrow. I am very sorry for your loss." She swept out, outwards all composed, but inwards, wilting. Albus was also bristling with indignation ... well, more emotion really.

She looked back at the door; Albus was watching her, eyes covered, but what worried Minerva most was that his blue gaze, his legendary twinkle, was gone, replaced with the haunted look only betrayed love can bring.

In her rooms, Minerva carefully took of her outfit and hung it in her cupboard, thinking of the wedding. Well, she hadn't expected David to do _that, _exactly, but at least Letitia had gone. Albus would be heartbroken. He would ... Minerva didn't know what he would do, but she would be there for him. The over-sized vegetable that had been plaguing the castle was gone and she damned if she was going to let Letitia destroy Albus as well!

Chin tilted determinedly, Minerva sat at her desk, grading tests as if her life depended on the scrupulous marking of each one; in reality, it was just a way to distract her mind from Albus' plight.

--

"Sherbert bubbles?" Minerva said tentatively to the gargoyle. It didn't budge. "Oh come on, don't tell me he's changed the password!"

The gargoyle did nothing but stare impudently at her. She sighed in exasperation. "Oh _Merlin! _Stubborn thing!" Sending the dirtiest look she could muster at the mute thing, she turned on her heel and stormed off.

What was Albus thinking, changing the password? She had said she was goinhg back theh next day! He should have let her in! Maybe _he _was the stubborn one. Ah well. She'd give it another week; _then_ she'd start shouting.

--

Minerva, tapping her wand against her side nervously, waited for the gargoyle to stop chuntering.

"Lovely day you know, I'm sure the Giant Squid will be enjoying the sunshine, you know." The thing went on and on and finally Minerva broke.

"Let me in _now,_ or you will regret the day the Founders put you in charge of the Headmasters' rooms!" she stormed. If a stone gargoyle could look scared, this one did. It slid away to reveal the moving staricase. Feeling triumphant, she climbed tha stairs, nervous at what she would find.

Albus was sitting in an armchair that was ridiculously over-stuffed, head in hands. His living room had the distinct feeling of not being looked after well. He did not look up, but sat still, head hanging."Hello Minerva. I see he let you in."

"Yes, he did, after I threatened him with something even Filch couldn't have come up with." Normally,. this would have raised a smile, but instead a great shuddering breath was all she got.

"I have wanted to apologise for all the rash things I said to you last week.

"Forgiven," she said immediately, looking around Albus' rooms. It was amazing how messy it had become in a week; Albus himself had a sort of starved look.

"When was the last time you ate?" she asked.

"Yesterday ... day before ... not sure." he muttered into his hands. Minerva was filled with pity.

She sat next to him, putting an arm around his shoulders. "Albus, you have to eat something." He seemed to ignore her.

"How could she?" he asked suddenly, apparently of thin air. "He could she just leave me and run off ...?"

"Oh, Albus ..." Minerva hugged him tightly, and, like a child, he leaned into her embrace. "I don't know why she did it. I didn't understand a lot of things about her – she was hard for me to understand."

"I thought I loved her ... but now ... now I'm not so sure. She was just standing in the The Leaky Cauldron, all golden and beautiful. I was blind but for her, Minerva; and I didn't notice you getting ill, or taking on all my work; I might not have noticed the castle falling down around my ears."

Minerva sighed, holding him to her. "She didn't deserve you, Albus; that's my personal opinion, and it was always that, ever since she first came to the castle."

"I should have listened to you; I can't remember you ever giving me the wrong advice." said Albus; now he was hugging her, stroking her hair. "I, however, can manage the whole of the wizarding community, but not my own life."

Minerva smiled into his beard, streaked with auburn still. "Next time you meet someone, make sure she's more than a pretty face. That's the best advice I can give you."

He had gone oddly quiet. "Albus?" she asked, alarmed.

"You mean someone who has been around for a very long time, someone who cares for me, and is capable and clever? Someone ... someone that I have loved for a very long time, but not realised?" He asked softly, but intently.

Minerva's heart faltered; she could detect a hidden meaning behind his words, but she answered strongly and with a clear voice, "yes, someone like that."

"Someone like you, Minerva." She tensed in his arms. "I-I have been terribly stupid. I was blind and careless; I love you Minerva, I realised that sometime this last week. Would you accept an old man's love?"

Tears formed in Minerva's grey eyes. "Of course, Albus of course!" She buried her face in his neck, feeling his beard on her skin. He tightened his arm around her slim waist, resting his forehead on hers. She met his eyes.

"I'm not beautiful, Albus."

"You are Minerva; have you never looked in the mirror? Never asked yourself why so many men ask you to dance? Why ... why Letitia was so jealous of you?"

Laughing, she caught his lips. They kissed for an eternal time, where the ticking of Albus' grandfather clock stopped, where all things froze in position. When they finally broke apart, they were gasping.

"Sealed with a kiss," said Albus quietly, his perpetual twinkle back in place. Minerva laughed again, as breathless as Albus, and smiled.

"I love you, forever, Albus. Forever, I promise."

"And the same goes for me, my love."

They kissed again, like two moths around a light. That night, a love was born so intense, so fierce, that even the strongest magic could not defeat it. Had anyone been around that room that night, they would have known, that against all odds, love was indeed the strongest magic.

--

Finite.

--

Done! Can you believe?! My first multi chapter fic ever completed. I may do an epilogue, but until then, this story is finished!! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and gave me so much support and joy. Love you all!


	8. Epilogue

It took a while, but here is the epilogue. Oh, and the abysmal ending to the last chapter had been rectified, so it might be worth a peek!

Please, I mean no slight on America at all. It could happen to someone here ... I know of a few in town, but I thought it would be a good way of getting rid of Letitia.

Um ... J-cloths are blue and white cloths for doing the yucky stuff – at least in out house!

The middle quote is not quite fitting, but I like it. I'm not sure what wizards believe, but there is the 'God' part. No disrespect.

The quote is from 'Pippa's Song,' by Robert Browning.

Chpater Eight.

Epilogue.

"Albus! Have you _seen _what they've done to the grades?!" Albus looked up to see his wife, her belly preceding her through the door, holding a Ministry letter.

"No, I have not. Who's done what to what?" he said politely; she was a little emotional at the moment.

"The Ministry!" she cried, "look!" and flung the envelope down onto the breakfast table. It was purple and emblazoned with the Ministry of magic emblem. He read it quickly.

"New grades? Mm." he said thoughtfully. "Might be good idea."

She snorted. "But why bother? The system we have now works well enough."

"Ask the Minister the next time you see him."

"Oh, I will. What's for food?"

"Whatever you like, my dear," he said helpfully.

She looked at their breakfast spread; ham, eggs, scrambled and boiled, and toast were arranged on a chequered yellow table cloth (embroidered, in the smallest stitching imaginable, with sherbet lemons) and sighed. "Actually, I really fancy some olives ..."

"Olives?"

"With lemon ice-cream," nodded Minerva.

"What?" gaped Albus, aghast.

"Olives with lemon ice-cream; that's what I said." replied Minerva testily. "In fact, the thought of eating anything else makes me feel ill. Carrie!" Minerva called for her house elf and ordered something that made Albus wonder seriously if his wife was quite herself. When it arrived, however, the smell overwhelmed anything imaginable. Eyes watering, Albus cast the strongest ward spell he could.

Minerva dipped an olive into the lemon ice-cream and idly opened the paper. The front was gabbling on about Cassandra Trelawney having yet another vision. Snorting, Minerva looked through the rest of the pages; towards page five, she stopped, choking on her olive.

"What is it?!" Said Albus urgently.

"I ... um ... nothing!" Minerva tried to turn the page and block the particular article she was reading. "Nothing at all!"

"Minerva ..." he said sternly. "What is it?"

She sighed and handed over the paper. "It's Letitia." Albus stiffened and transferred his gaze to the _Prophet. _

**Letitia Moves On!**

**Well-known member of society, Letitia Gordon, has left her Ministry boyfriend, David. When asked about it, she only had this to say: "I just feel it's time to move on." **

_Letitia has been a prominent figure in recent months, first through her engagement to Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School, then for 'crashing the wedding' with help from her fiancé David. _

"_We love each other," she said at one interview in January last year, "and when you're in love, you have to stick together. I'm sorry to hurt Alby's feelings, but he will get over it in time, I imagine." _

_But, to all those who followed the news of their unlikely pairing, this seemed impossible. Albus had clearly been head-over-heels in love with Miss. Gordon, as many of these pictures show._

There followed a series of pictures in which Letitia and Albus looked like the happy couple. Though evidently out of date, Minerva's heart sank. The press would be printing this for days now.

_Letitia, however, seems quite unaffected buy the break up and is considering taking a break from Britain. She said yesterday that, 'The weather and sobriety here are really too much for me' and that she is going to New York itself for a bit of well-deserved relaxation. Letitia, we believe, has already been commissioned for photo-shoot in Axis-Studios -_

Minerva tugged the offending newspaper out of her husband's hand and frowned at it. "Horrible rag," she said contemptuously, then looked up to gage Albus' reaction. He was twinkling at her. She raised her eyebrows.

"You're not going to sulk, then?"

"Minerva!" he exclaimed. "Have I ever done that?"

"You sulked when I told Hortensia about our marriage," she returned swiftly. Albus had indeed sulked badly when she had told her funny, if slightly nosey, older-cousin about their marriage, which they had agreed to keep secret.

Albus sighed. "You've got me there, my dear." He pulled her to his side and kissed the top of her head. "How can I make it up to you?"

"By de-gnoming the garden," she answered comfortably. "They're eating all my sweet-butter plants."

Albus choked on his morning tea. "Those gnomes are menaces!" he cried, waving his toast about. "Every time I try to catch them, they bite me!"

"Catch them quicker then," she said smugly. Albus made a noise of strangled protest. "You love my sweet-butter plants, don't you?"

Albus sighed again, this time because he knew he was cornered. "Very well, my dear, you've won. I'll attend to it directly."

"Good." Minerva patted the top of his head as she stood up to put her plate by the sink. "Oh, but before you do, could you wash-up, please?"

"Minerva," he said slowly, "you are a witch. You can use magic, you know." But he had tried to fight this battle before and lost dismally. Sure enough back came her brisk response.

"There will be no magic used in the domestic activities in _my _house, as you know full well, Albus. Get a J-cloth and start working."

Albus chuckled under his breath and slipped his arm round her waist, putting his chin on her shoulder so that they were both staring out at the garden Minerva had worked so hard to tame before becoming pregnant, and breathing into her neck, kissing her softly on the sensitive skin on her collarbone. "If my Lady commands it."

She smiled and gently put a hand on his chest to get him on his way. "_Lady's_ are supposed to have spotless accommodation," she said, laughing, "and this one is not. Get on with it,_ My Lord._"

"If you insist," he chuckled and relinquished his grasp on her waist. Grabbing a J-cloth, he starting running the hot water and Minerva turned back to her olive and lemon ice-cream breakfast, to Albus' everlasting horror.

Minerva watched Albus trying to catch the gnomes, missing, falling, and then cursing, and smiled. Everything was so perfect. She was five months pregnant with their first child and so her and Albus had retired to their small highland cottage to await it's arrival.

School was over and neither Albus nor Minerva would be returning for while. Albus was still on leave after killing Grindelwald, which had wounded him badly, though no long-lasting symptoms were developing. She also was off for her pregnancy, but only a select few knew of it.

She had her beautiful cottage, the deep blue loch below her, an apple orchard and a wild, thrilling jungle of a garden for her child to play in. Minerva draped a protective hand over her swollen belly and felt tears coming to her eyes.

There was nothing else she could ask for herself now. She was happier than she thought she had any right to be. Soon she would have her very own family, with hopefully more to come. Albus and her would always love each other, always cherish each other, always be the happy couple they were. No matter what may come their way.

_The year's at the spring,_

_And day's at the morn;_

_Morning's at seven;_

_The hillside's dew-pearl'd._

So thought Minerva as she sat in the midst of her own, magical world.

--

Minerva hummed happily as she looked at the colourful ranges of dress robes. Navy or burgundy, she wondered, then felt disgusted with herself. She sounded so shallow! Today, however, she really did have a reason to indulge, and she was going to enjoy it.

Her youngest son, Brian, was about to get married. And to such a wonderful woman, mused Minerva. Evie was intelligent, funny, and very pretty, though according to her brothers, had a hot temper with which she could scrape the skin of any man that crossed her - but that was only esoccasionally. And, Minerva thought with a grin, her son really did need someone that could keep him in order. He tended to be rather impulsive and rash, but his magical power rivalled her own.

Minerva bit her lip to stop herself from squealing out loud at the joyful thought – the other customers of Dervish and Banges might find it a bit alarming – and pulled a dark red robe from the rack. It was very nice ...

She had just decided to get the red robes, when she caught sight of another blue pair. She touched the fabric gently. Beautiful. The deep sleeves would fall over her hands, she could see, and the waist was gently pulled tight. A tiny golden thread ran round the hem and neckline, matching, Minerva knew, Albus' robe. Perhaps this one was better. Minerva sighed and slumped on a fitting stool. Shopping was just as tiring now as it had been with Poppy and Rolanda.

Shoes ... yes, she had to buy shoes ... Minerva sighed again and threw in a groan for good measure. Shopping really was a curse made specially for women.

Pulling herself to her feet, Minerva bumped straight into another customer also making her way down the isle.

"Oh! Excuse me," she said quickly, "I didn't see you there."

"Don't mention it," grunted a hoarse, scratchy, but still vaguely feminine voice. "I've got used to after all these years, Minerva."

Hearing her name, Minerva looked straight at the person she had bumped into and recoiled in shock. The woman before looked like one of the shrivelled heads it was possible to buy in Knockturn Alley.

Her skin, dry, wrinkled and sagging, hung from her face and neck, making it seem like a chickens comb. The woman's lips were painted a bright cherry red, but deep lines touched her upper lip and wrinkles seemed to start at her forehead and droop down her face, pulling and twisting at the skin, which itself was a burnt, pink-and-gey front.

A huge amount of pink make-up covered her cheeks, and a mass of mascara, eye-liner and shadow was applied to her faded blue eyes. But, as Minerva saw, the eyelashes were dead and dry looking, the skin around the eyes drooping; the eyebrows had been plucked so often that they were all puckered and nearly invisible. In fact, Minerva thought, she looked as if she had spent her whole life in a wild-child state, smoking, drinking heavily and other worse things. But how did this creature know her name?

"Excuse me?" she said again, this time as question. The woman snorted and tossed her head of dyed-blonde hair.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten me, Minerva? After all, I did live in Hogwarts for months."

"Letitia?" Gasped Minerva

The woman sank down onto the stool Minerva had just vacated. She caught a whiff of the fruity, powerful perfume she wore, though it was not enough to mask the smell of stale tobacco. "The very same."

"What are you doing here?" Minerva asked, as soon as she could speak. "I heard you were in America!"

"I took a portkey home," she drawled, for all the world as if she was student caught misbehaving.

"What happened, Letitia?" Minerva stared at the shrivelled creature that had once been so beautiful. "You look ..."

"I am in perfect health," she snapped. "I've been to America, spent some time living properly ... much nicer over there."

"It looks more like you died over there, Letitia," said Minerva, staring at the older woman's thick mask of make-up.

"It seems I've more in my life than you have!" she retorted spitefully. "Teaching at that dead-end school with a load of dry sticks for colleagues!" She took a deep breath and began to search for something in her peacock-blue robes. "So tell me, Minerva, how have you been?"

Minerva answered cautiously. Few knew of her marriage to Albus and only a few more knew of their four children. "I married a year or two after you left. My youngest son is getting married tomorrow."

Letitia's eyebrows rose. "Who would have thought ...?" she drawled. "Congratulations are in order, then."

Minerva remembered with rush why she had not liked this woman. "Yes, they are," she replied tartly. "And you?"

"Oh, you don't want to know, Minerva," she told her. "How's Albus?"

Minerva stiffened. "He's doing well, I think," she said, lying through her teeth. Her and Albus were more than all right! Two sons married, another one an Unspeakable, and their only daughter working as a curse-breaker for Gringotts, they were the happiest couple ever heard of. "And so is Hogwarts," she added for good measure.

"Glad to hear it," Letitia had finally found what she was looking for and held the long, poisonous looking cigarette to a bulky looking muggle lighter. But before she could light it, a tall, dark man interrupted her.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said courteously, "but there is no smoking allowed in Dervish and Banges."

Letitia stood laboriously. "It seems I'm not welcome here," she said in a careless, slightly insinuating voice. "Well, I'm off, then." She waved her lighter to accentuate why she was leaving, then nodded at Minerva and Dervish escorted her to the door.

Minerva watched from the lead-paned window as Letitia paused in the street to lift the cigarette to her mouth, then straighten and head off towards the Hog's Head. Minerva turned away, sickened.

How had such a beautiful, if shallow, creature, become such a mess? She could have done so much with her life, if she had put her mind to it. Alcohol and tobacco had broken down the young woman that had once been engaged and now, when she was not able to continue her old life, she had nothing. No family, children or partner. Perhaps not even any friends.

Minerva paid for the blue robes and some matching shoes she had found with a rather troubled, preoccupied air.

--

The little house in the Scottish Highlands had never housed so many. Tens of people had come to see Brian Dumbledore and Evangeline Newton marry. Evie's friends from her job at Gringotts – especially the very friend that had introduced her to Brian, Ada Dumbledore, Minerva's only daughter. Brian's friends from the Auror department, including Lenti Shacklebolt and Simon Robbards were also happily received.

Minerva looked at the happy gathering and smiled contentedly. Evie had been a wonderful bride, all done up in white, ribbons adorning her fiery hair, only a shade darker than her husband's, and glowing with happiness. Brian, too, had been a handsome Groom. His dark green robes had clashed magnificently with his auburn hair – inherited from his father – and had been gallant to a tee.

Tears had come to her eyes just then, and Albus had put a comforting arm around her slender shoulders, holding her tight. Oh, everything was so right – so wonderful and happy and good.

Looking up at the mauve sunset, blue shot with red, with streaks of fiery Gryffindor red, Minerva felt as if all was perfect.

"_The Lark's on the wing;_

_The snail's on the Thorn;_

_God's in His heaven – _

_All's right with the world." _

Whispered Minerva to the cool night air. All was right.

--

For all those who wanted to see Letitia punished, I think this is good enough, no? I am trying to put morales into all my stories, and i'm sure you guess the morale to this one.

This might be offensive if you smoke, but I _will not_ apologise, I'm afraid. Flame if you wish. We need to get the wood-burner going anyway. I will read 'em and laugh.


End file.
